Ride-hailing for seniors used to be about calling a medical transportation company to get a lift to the doctor’s office.

Some now get a Lyft to wherever they want to go.

After a few months of trial runs, St. John’s Living this week is launching the ride-hailing service for residents of its Brickstone by St. John's and St. John's Meadows independent living communities.

“This gives them more flexibility, more spontaneity,” said Chantel Foster, St. John’s residence life director.

St. John’s provides transportation six days a week for shopping and outings, but those rides are during the day. Foster said that by helping residents use Lyft, they are able to get out in the evenings for concerts and other events.

“It gives them more opportunity to be who they want to be and get where they want to go.”

Only 15 percent of American adults use ride-hailing, according to a 2016 survey by the Pew Research Center. Riders skewed younger — only 4 percent of respondents ages 65 and older said they were likely to use Uber or Lyft, compared with 28 percent of people 18 to 29.

One of the major barriers is the technology. St. John’s residents still need a cellphone, and Foster said staff works with residents to increase their comfort with cellphone technology.

Foster brought the idea to St. John’s after seeing a presentation by a Lyft executive at a conference on aging. Lyft representatives did not respond to requests for interviews.

Michael King, president and chief executive officer of Jewish Senior Life, said the facility does not use ride sharing, using its own staff and transportation or contracting with companies. He wrote in an email response, "Safety is high priority for us and are not comfortable using the ride sharing companies at this time."

St. John’s actually books the ride and takes several steps to enhance safety. Foster provided the details:

How does it work?

Residents of Brickstone and Meadows who want to use Lyft are screened by St. John’s staff to make sure ride-hailing is appropriate for them. The resident doesn’t have to have a smartphone but needs a cell that receives and sends texts, since that is how Lyft communicates with riders. Using a walker does not disqualify residents from ride-sharing, but individuals do need to be able to get in and out of a car on their own.

Foster said about 65 percent of the 500 residents at Brickstone and the Meadows would qualify to use the service.

The resident calls the St. John’s concierge to request a ride and make the arrangements. Rides can be booked up to a week in advance.

The resident is given the driver’s name, picture and contact information from Lyft. The resident also gets the make and model of the car and the arrival time from Lyft.

What are the safety and security features?

St. John’s has a business account with Lyft that provides extra layer of security. St. John’s gets the same information that Lyft sends to the rider.

St. John’s also gets software to monitor the ride in real time. That allows St. John’s staff to know the resident’s location. In addition to making sure residents are able to travel on their own, St. John’s gives each person a card with the details of the ride and a phone number to call in case the driver doesn’t show up or there is any question or problem. If a driver doesn’t show up, the resident calls back to St. John’s, and a staff person rebooks the ride.

What is the cost?

Foster said the fare varies on the destination and the demand for rides, but in general it is less than a taxi ride.

The fare is billed to the resident’s account, so there’s no need for the resident to give credit card information. There is no added fee for St. John’s booking the ride. The facility is not charged for its account with Lyft.